Silicon Carbide (SiC) semiconductor devices, such as SiC MOSFETs, have a number of advantageous features, e.g., in comparison to traditional Silicon-based devices. For example, SiC MOSFETs are well-suited for high-power applications. SiC MOSFETs are capable of handling high voltages and high operating temperatures. Further, SiC MOSFETs have a low drain-to-source ON-resistance (RDS-ON), (when designed with a short channel region) and fast switching with low power losses, resulting in highly-efficient operation.
However, some such advantageous features are also associated with potential difficulties or challenges. For example, the above-referenced short channel regions may result in current rising to very high levels during short-circuit operations (e.g., VDS=600-800V for a 1200V SiC MOSFET). Further, lower RDS-ON, although an advantage during normal operations, leads to worse short-circuit durability. For example, short-circuit current density increases in such scenarios, which leads to increased power density and lower short-circuit time to failure.